MARINE LIFE: Gardens of coral discovered in Gulf of Maine

Pilots and scientists inside the control van of the remotely operated underwater vehicle view the underwater scene in real time, collecting samples, images, and oceanographic data. Credit: Peter Auster

Brilliantly colored gardens of red tree coral (Primnoa), fan coral (Paramuricea), and multiple species of sponge grow on underwater ridges and along the walls of box canyons deep in the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine. The question is, “Who knew?”